Guides

You can find in-depth guides to getting started with large format photography and darkroom printing here.

See guides

For more advice and help you can get in contact with our team.

You can do so by heading to our contact page. You can then send us a message via the contact form or on our live chat (depending on staff availability). We cannot offer customer support on any social media platforms.

We will do our best to help but due to the various ranges of large-format cameras and accessories, we might not be able to answer all questions regarding non-Intrepid products.

Once we receive your message, we will try to get back to you as soon as we are able.

Our opening hours are Monday to Thursday from 9:00am to 5:00pm. Any messages received on Fri/Sat/Sunday will be responded to the following week.

Please check our FAQ and Guides sections first to see if your question has already been answered.

All information regarding production lead times, delivery, etc. can be found on the product pages, guides and our FAQ. Most of our most frequently asked questions that we get from customers are covered here! As we are a small team, any messages that we receive that contain any questions that are answered clearly on our website will have a lower priority for responses from the team.

But if you need any clarification, please feel free to contact us!

All Intrepid Cameras, Enlarger Kits, 4x5 film holders and many of our accessories are hand-assembled by our team in Brighton and many of the parts are manufactured in-house. When there is high demand for certain products there may be a lead time listed on the product page. We will only ship your order once all the products are ready. Please check the lead times for all the products that you ordered.

This simply means the estimated time it will take from the order is placed to when it will be shipped. We aim to ship all orders within the lead times displayed but we cannot provide exact dates for shipping. If you contact us for an update on your order and it has not been past the lead time stated on the product page, your order is still in production.

What if I need a product to arrive by a certain date?

If you are ordering from us and have a deadline, we always suggest contacting us first so we can confirm that it is possible. We do try to accommodate for deadlines but due to many factors- production time lines, stock levels and product popularity, we might not be able to offer fast tracking.

We ask that all customers plan accordingly so please keep this in mind when placing an order. Once it has shipped, we cannot guarantee it will arrive on time due to factors outside our control.

As stated in our product pages - lenses, tripods, film holders and any other accessories are not included with the camera.

We will give you a list of what’s essential for using with our cameras that can be purchased with us:

  1. Lens board - we sell the copal sizes 0, 1 and 3. Which size that you would buy will depend on your choice of lens (see our guides here).
  2. Film holders - We sell 4x5 film holders that are made in house. For our 8x10 camera, we sell the brand Toyo. Unfortunately we do not sell film holders for our 5x7 camera but we would recommend the brands Fidelity or Chamonix.
  3. Film - you can see all the sheet film we sell here.
  4. Dark Cloth - Dark cloths are an essential accessory when using a large format camera.

We also have two accessories that are not fully essential but are recommended for certain set ups:

  • Fresnel screen - All cameras come with a ground glass installed but the fresnel screen will brighten the projected image to make focusing easier.
  • Focus hood - This is an alternative product for a dark cloth. The hood is good for quick set ups but doesn’t offer complete darkness.

We don’t sell the other products needed for the camera- tripod, lens and shutter cable. For tripods, some brands that customers use with our cameras are Benbo, Manfrotto and the premium brand Gitzo. For lenses, see our lens buying guides for 4x5 and 8x10 under our guide section.

We ship worldwide! We try and keep shipping as affordable and fast as possible no matter where you are in the world.*

Once your order ships you will receive a confirmation email along with a tracking number. Please contact us if you would like confirmation that we can ship to your country.

Currently we can't ship to Russia and we have limited options for Ukraine. As unfortunately we cannot always guarantee a successful delivery to Ukraine. Delivery times are also subject to change and delays should be expected.

*We need to rely on updates from postal services of any issues that may impact parcel/letter services to and from countries around the world. So delivery times can change at short notice or it might not be possible to ship an order. If shipping is blocked due to unforeseen circumstances (such as war or natural disasters), we trust that the customer is aware of any potential delays/cancellations before they place an order.

Once your order is ready to ship (some products will have production lead times), you will receive an email with a tracking number.

We will only ship your order once all of the products are available. Please check lead times for all products that you plan to order.

Royal Mail (UK only)
1st Class delivery service (untracked) from Royal Mail for customers in the UK.

Delivery Times - UK: 1 to 2 days.

Royal Mail Tracked (International)
Tracked delivery service from Royal Mail for customers outside of the UK. Royal Mail will pass the delivery onto your local postal service when it arrives in your country.

Delivery Times - EU: 2 to 7 working days, ROW: 5 to 14 working days.

DHL Express
Tracked express service for larger items, fast and reliable.

Delivery Times: Between 1-7 working days (depending on destination)

DHL Express (DDP)
Just for the EU (DDP) means that all duties and taxes are paid on your behalf. There is nothing extra to pay. Tracked express service for larger items, fast and reliable.

Delivery Times: Between 1-7 working days (depending on destination)

Royal Mail Tracked (DDP)
Just for the EU (DDP) means that all duties and taxes are paid on your behalf. There is nothing extra to pay. Tracked delivery service from Royal Mail, if your shipping address is outside of the UK Royal Mail will pass the delivery onto a local courier when it arrives in your country.

Delivery Times - EU: 3 to 7 working days, ROW: 5 to 14 working days.

How much will shipping cost?

Shipping charges for your order will be automatically calculated and added at checkout. The final price cannot be worked out prior.

Can I collect my order if I'm in the UK?

If you are based in or visiting the UK, you can skip the shipping fees and pick up your order from our workshop in Brighton!* Once your order is ready we will send you an email to notify you along with the pick up instructions.

The order must be collected within a reasonable time frame, as we cannot hold orders for an indefinite amount of time. If we do not hear from the customer, we unfortunately cannot hold onto the product.

Collection is only available from Mon-Thurs 09:00am-17:00pm (GMT)

Intrepid Camera
10 Chapel Mews
Hove
East Sussex
BN3 1AR

-Please be aware no parking is available-

If you are unable to pick up your order, we can arrange payment for delivery instead. (Please note that British VAT will be included if collection is selected at checkout and cannot be removed)

All production lead times are the same for order collections. If you would like to know if your order would be ready in time, please contact us before placing the order. We will also need to know exactly what you are ordering to confirm that we can fulfil the order in time.

*We can only process orders via our website and unfortunately can't take payments in person. We also can't guarantee that we will have products in stock for unexpected walk-in orders.

Can I change my shipping address?

We ask all customers to ensure that the correct address is entered at checkout but the address can be changed up to the day of dispatch. If there is a mistake with your address or needs to be updated please contact us as soon as you can. A product replacement is not guaranteed if an incorrect or incomplete delivery information is submitted to us. In some instances we will need to wait for the parcel to be returned to us before we try to fulfil an order a second time.

You can also choose to ship to a different country but be beware that there might need be extra costs and delays due to different custom procedures. Please contact us for details. 

Can I use a PO Box?

The majority of small orders can be shipped to PO Boxes/military postcodes with Royal Mail with no additional changes. Unfortunately DHL cannot be deliver to PO boxes as they require a signature. We will try to switch to a different shipping service but we will contact you if we are unable to ship your order.

My order hasn’t arrived yet, what should I do?

In the unlikely event that your order has not arrived within the estimated time, please let us know so we can look into it.

If your parcel still hasn’t arrived within 28-30 days (after the shipping date) or is officially declared lost by us or courier services, we can arrange to replace the items if they are available or offer a refund. 

Depending on production times and stock levels, we will advise when replacements can be expected.

What if I need a product to arrive by a certain date?

If you are ordering any products from us and have a deadline, we always suggest contacting us first so we can confirm that it is possible. We might be able to add tracking or offer an upgraded shipping option for an extra cost.

We do try to accommodate for deadlines but once it has shipped, we cannot guarantee it will arrive on time due to factors outside our control.

I live in the EU do I have to pay tax and import duties?

If you are in the EU (excluding Switzerland and Norway) all tax and import duties will be calculated and paid at checkout so you won't have to pay anything extra on delivery.

Any purchase orders made with us from schools and businesses in the EU, we unfortunately can't cover the cost of tax and duties. You will need to provide your VAT information to customs when your order has shipped. If you need more information, please contact us.

For orders placed outside of the UK/EU, import duty and tax are not included in the total price.

Your order may also be subject to other charges, which are incurred once a shipment reaches your destination country.*

I don't live in the UK or EU will I have to pay tax?

If you live outside the UK you do not have to pay UK VAT so it will be automatically deducted at checkout. You will instead be asked to pay the standard rate of import tax on delivery, the amount will vary depending on your country's customs rules.

Your order may also be subject to other charges, which are incurred once a shipment reaches your destination country.*

*Intrepid Camera is not responsible for these charges if they are applied and are your responsibility as the recipient. If an order is refused due to unpaid charges, you will only entitled to a partial refund. We always recommend contacting your customs agency before ordering if you are unsure of any unexpected charges.

As stated on the product pages, our cameras and enlargers do not include a lens.

Check out our comprehensive guide to large format lenses for 4x5 here and 8x10 here.

As per our terms and conditions, our return policy is 30 days. To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it.

You must also notify us if you wish to return a product and must show proof of postage, as unfortunately in the rare possibility of a parcel going missing we cannot give a refund without proof that the product has been sent back.

If 30 days have gone by since your purchase, unfortunately we can’t offer a full refund or an exchange.

There are certain situations where only partial refunds are granted: (if applicable) Any item not in its original condition, is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to our error. Or any item that is returned more than 30 days after delivery.

Once we receive and inspect your return, we will notify you of approval or rejection of your refund. If approved, your refund will be processed within 7-10 working days to your original method of payment. Please ensure your purchase and account information is accurate and up-to-date.

Shipping/import costs can't be refunded and unfortunately we don't offer free returns.

Can I cancel my order?

We can accept cancellations up until the day of dispatch.

We will confirm the cancellation and the refund will issued to the original payment method within 7-10 working days (holidays and weekends can affect your refund).

If your order has already shipped, you will need to return it to us before we can issue a refund (minus any shipping/custom fees).

Can I amend my order?

If there is a mistake or you wish to make an amendment to your order, please let us know as soon as you can. Due to various shipping times we can't guarantee that all amendments can be accepted.

Also if we don't receive any further communication confirming changes within a reasonable time frame, unfortunately the order will not be amended.

Exchanges:

We can offer exchanges (within our 30 day policy) for most of our products in case of customer error etc incorrect size or an incompatibility with existing set ups. If you are unsure about a product please contact us for assistance.

If a camera or enlarger is accidentally damaged or you discover a defect during use, we will make all reasonable efforts to repair or replace your product (subject to the availability of any parts required).

Any defects in the materials or workmanship found within the warranty period will be covered and will be free of charge.

Our Warranty

We offer a one year warranty. This warranty covers defects in manufacturing discovered while using any of our products. The warranty does not cover damage caused by misuse, abuse, unauthorised modification, improper storage conditions, weather damage or any accidental damage. Intrepid products bought second hand are not covered by our warranty.

If we are notified of a defect that would covered by our one year warranty, it must be arranged to be returned for repair or a refund within that time frame. Unfortunately the warranty will be voided if we receive no further communication from the buyer.

If an exchange or replacement is agreed upon, we require the original product be returned first before we ship any replacements/exchanges.

For any products that are out of warranty or are bought second hand can also be sent in to our workshop to be repaired for a fee. We can provide quotes upon request.

Please note with some older camera models (MK4 and earlier), repairs or replacements might not be available due to design changes.

Unfortunately we cannot accept custom jobs or modify any existing products. If you're looking into modifying/building/restoring a camera, we can offer certain pre-built parts for a fixed price (these parts cannot be modified).

Due to the various ranges of large-format cameras and accessories, we might not be able to answer all questions regarding dimensions and possible compatibility.

Please contact us for any details.

Our products are a modern rethink of traditional large format film cameras and darkroom enlargers. They are designed to be compact, affordable and easy to use, whilst offering the same features as their traditional counterparts.

Unlike buying secondhand you have the security that your new camera or enlarger will be in top working condition as it is brand new. You also have a full 1-year warranty and ongoing support from an active company should you have any issues at any point.

We also have an extensive and evolving range of accessories to allow you to create and experiment without having to track down expensive or unreliable secondhand ones.

A large format camera is one of the most creative, fun and rewarding tools a photographer can use. Free from any electronics or automatic settings, shooting large format film is actually a lot simpler than you may think. As a totally analogue experience, it allows you to slow down, refine your photography and fully immerse yourself in the process. 

Unlike smaller formats, large format cameras allow you to move and reposition the lens giving you total control of focus and perspective (this is referred to as ‘camera movements.’) Due to the sheer size of the film sheets, large format also gives you pictures with incredible depth, colour and detail, sharper than even the best full-frame digital cameras.

Yes, you can use all Intrepid 4x5, 5x7 and 8x10 cameras for Wet Plate Collodion! Take a look at our in-depth guide to working with Collodion by Rikard Österlund.

As well as the chemistry and a lens you will also need a plate holder. There are some great modern ones or you can modify a sheet film holder. 

In all our choices for materials and manufacturing processes, we try and be as environmentally considerate as possible. Everything is hand-assembled in the UK and the majority of parts for our products are produced in-house. We recycle as much of the workshop waste as we can, predominantly use UK-based suppliers, and use the most renewable materials available. 

All the Birch Plywood we use is FSC certified and sourced locally. Not only is Birch Plywood known for its strength and durability but Birch trees are a very fast-growing species so when sourced sustainably there is little impact to the global environment or biodiversity.

Most of the metal used in our manufacturing is aluminium, which is the single most abundant metal found on the earth. It is also the most readily recycled, about 75% of the aluminium in circulation today has been recycled already.

All the wood used in our products is treated with a plant-based oil/wax, this reduces the chance of it warping and makes it water-resistant. The bellows are made from coated vinyl that can withstand a light rain shower and the metal work is all anodised aluminium so it highly reduces any chance of rust as long as the camera is treated with care.

So if you do get caught in rain your camera will be fine, just make sure to wipe away any excess water and leave it set up to dry when you are back inside.

We also recommend that the stainless steel components (M5/M6 thumbscrews and guide rails) are greased every couple of months to protect them from weathering.

Take a look at our guides section on the website for how to set up your Intrepid camera or enlarger. We will also soon be launching a series of guide videos on large format and darkroom techniques, processes and accessories.

If you are based in the UK we have just opened Intrepid Studios - an analogue-focused darkroom, studio and workshop space. We have regular workshops as well as one-off guest workshops designed to help you get to grips with different film photography techniques and darkroom printing!

Contact us

For more advice or help contact our team directly.

Send email